Wal-Mart Stores Sell Out Of Guns

Yesterday, when we described the unprecedented surge in gun sales in the aftermath of the Newtown massacre, we said that "what is most ironic, is that it is precisely the fear of forced, unilateral rejection, by either or all three branches of government, of the original constitution and its various amendments that has Americans scrambling into gun stores. And thus the closed loop nature of the problem: by threatening to take away America's guns, the government is only exacerbating a problem that is steeped in 200+ years of history and is engrained deep in American psychology." It took about 24 hours to demonstrate just how counterproductive government intervention always is: as of this moment, Bloomberg reports, Wal-Mart, the biggest retailer in the US and the world, has stores in at least five states where guns are now completely out of stock.

With President Barack Obama endorsing sweeping gun restrictions in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, prices for handgun magazines are surging on EBay (EBAY) and semi-automatic rifles are sold out at many Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) locations.

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, said yesterday that it would continue to sell guns, including rifles like the one used at Newtown, where 26 people, most of them children, were killed on Dec. 14. By contrast, Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. (DKS) suspended sales of similar guns at its more than 500 stores.

Searches of five kinds of semi-automatic rifles on Wal- Mart’s website showed them to be out of stock at stores in five states, including Pennsylvania, Kansas and Alabama. Wal-Mart doesn’t sell guns online, instead asking customers to input a zip code to see if their local store carries a specific weapon.

“We remain dedicated to the safe and responsible sale of firearms in areas of the country where they are sold,” David Tovar, a spokesman for Wal-Mart, said yesterday. He didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on this story.

Wal-Mart has about 10 modern sporting rifles, the gun industry’s term for firearms that look like an M-16 military rifle, listed on its website. The retailer removed a description and picture of the Bushmaster AR-15, which was the model used in Newtown, after the shootings.

Who benefits from the government's pseudo intervention? None other than the uber-wealthy Walton family.

The move may have helped as U.S. Wal-Mart stores posted their first gain in same-store sales in more than two years in October 2011. Wal-Mart doesn’t disclose how many guns it sells, though at an analysts’ meeting in October it said gun revenue gained 76 percent in the first half of this fiscal year. The chain advertised a Sig Sauer M400 as one of its Black Friday doorbusters last month, offering the rifle for $50 off at $867.

It gets worse: now that guns are transforming from a commoditized to a niche, collectible product, whose future is unclear due to what the government may or may not do, the supply, demand dynamics have shifted massively in favor of the side that pushes the equilibrium price higher (just so even central-planning economists understand this).

On EBay Inc.'s auction website, shoppers have recently bid up gun magazines. The current bid for four Glock handgun magazines, ammunition for one of the guns used at Newtown, is $118.37 compared with $45 on the day before the shooting. The bid for seven Glock magazines hit $201 on Dec. 17 from $71.01 before the massacre.

Gun buyers have flooded other firearms retailers too. The Hyatt Gun Shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, racked up more than $1 million in sales yesterday for the best single-day performance since the store opened in 1959, according to Justin Anderson, director of online sales. At the top of shoppers’ lists was the Bushmaster AR-15, the model of rifle used at Newtown that sells for as much as $4,000 and had almost sold out, he said.

Revenue at one of the largest U.S. gun stores surpassed even the spike just after Obama was elected president in 2008, Anderson said in a telephone interview. Sales weren’t as robust when Obama was re-elected last month because the president hadn’t backed major new gun laws, he said.

While we have no interest in pursuing any of the ethical sides of this argument, we do know that the more the government intervenes, even if it is with the noblest intentions, the greater the adverse and negative fallout will be. And, in typical government fashion, the more it pushes to get its way (or the highway) the greater the tragic consequences result in a country which - by dint of simply what it is - has over 300 million weapons. Good luck and godspeed with any hopes of "controlling" them.

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According to the FBI crime statistics, you are more than twice as likely to be beaten to death by someone's bare hands and feet than to be killed by someone with a rifle, any rifle, including so-called "assault weapons". One more fact the quisling media keeps quiet.

Between the two pawn shops I visited they had a couple thousand rounds of 223 for $9/box for steel cased.

I was unprepared for this and didn't here of it until sunday, I was out of country. I needed none of the purchases I made today, but I figured why not gamble. Dollar cost averaged out it won't make a difference. I've paid less than $20/mag for the colts before when buying ten, today it was $270.

It will make the Christmas gift my FIL is getting that much better, which is a AR15 I assembled. You cannot find one for sale in my town, and our local website for such guns has not a single AR listed for sale, at any price. I was planning to sell a couple around tax return time, but I"ll see how it goes. I bet there is a buyer at $1,500+. I really want to trade for a AR10 as I own loads of mags, but sold mine in past hype.

You can find ammo and mags but you have to look around. You can find iPads and IPhones everywhere.

AR 15s? Fuggetabout it! Think about this too - they have been running about 15 million NIC checks per year since 2008! This is 60 million guns sales in the past 4 years! You would think anyone who wanted a gun hand one by now.

$270 for 10 colts? Buy PMags. I saw a good video of guys in the midwest and US Army kids in Iraq testing Magpull P Mags versus - Thermolds, Orlites, US GI (colt) and HK (metal too). The Magpulls took being run over by a HumVee. They beefed up HumVees too and they must weight 8,000 pounds now.

They won't knock on my door for the mags! If it comes to that I don't think we'll have internet. I'm in a area of the country where I can still buy them because most people have over 100. They'll take the rifles before they bother with confiscation of mags. I won't have any rifles if the prices go up to retard, but I might become a magazine collector.

I've got a bad habit of boating accidents, always carrying too many firearms I guess and overload the boat.

I don't personally like pmags more than the colts, but I do like them/own a couple.

The comment about the forms is right though, but remember you can put up to ten on one form if I recall correctly, its been years since I filled one up.

Guns were ALWAYS the new Apple store. Every few years people forget that you can't hunt with an iPad. Some people on ZH claim you can eat an iPad/phone but until I see the residents of starving Africa munching on them I'll keep the guns.

Lots of things don't add up. I wondered how they would work their assault rifle ban into the story when the first two (three?) days they said the weapon was a handgun. Did they mistake spent rifle casings for 9mm?

And how did the crisis expand from a meeting in the principal's office if he was carrying a rifle? And did his mom have anything to do with the school at all?

This story has changed from the beginning to fit the narrative the goverment is pushing. Heard anything about the guy led away in handcuffs from the scene? This reeks of false flag.

Stand up now for the truth or forever hold your peace. We will all be Palestinians soon.

This is a really intersting and valid point. The police would know instantly what the murderer used by all the shell casings on the floor. It does not take an autopsy to figure out what weapon was used.

I know the press in this country sucks, but they must have gotten the initial information from somewhere.

NEVER GIVE THEM UP! You turn in your 2A and you lose your 1A at the same time, they both recipricate and ensure eachother. If anything, buy more. If DHS purchased billions of rounds, you better too.

What happened when Mao, Hitler and Stalin dis-armed his citizens? They were massacred.

Here within lies the problem.

Using the MSM narrative to start with, Conn is one of the most draconian 2A Laws rated 4th in the Nation being one of the most restrictive states in the Republic.

If these Teachers or Principal had a CCW, number 1, this may not have even happened, 2, the blood shed could have been mitigated when there was the first sign of trouble. They were all un-armed thanks to the Un-Constitutional State and Federal regulation of the 2A in that state so shame on ypour Conn law makers.

Germany's crime rate just began to go up so what did they do? They losened their gun control law to arm more citizens against criminals, not further restrict or take their guns away.

UK has a reverse castle law.. want to live like that? How would you like to go to prison for shooting somone raping your wife in your home? Now, how did UK lose their gun right's? A school yard shooting, it was a confiscation afterwards and now look at those slaves living under a larger Police State than we are in the USA because crime went up because only the criminals have the un registered weapons that can't be tracked for confiscation. Moral? Don't throw away the pencil for mispelling a word. This is a state / local and Federal restriction problem what happened in Conn so they are going to punish all Federally screened law abiding citizens across the whole USA? Yea, assinine.

The 2A shall not be abridged.. What don't you understand about that?.

Tragic that this crime happened, but let's break this down to the brass tacks shall we?

Again, using the MSM narrative, Lazar supposedly went to a gun store to purchase a weapon and was denied, well, yea.. He doesn't hold a Federal purchase card that would confirm his background check and documented fingerprints to be placed on file with Sagum Morpho (Federal data base) to allow him to purchase So, yea, he hasn't been pre-screened to purchase, and yes, he would be denied.

So, an un licenced citizen of 20 years old stole his mothers guns, murdered his mom, went to the school she volentiered at and murdered 27-28 un-armed children and adults then turned the gun on himself. Crappy story, but that's their narrative.

Fox News this morning announced, "Investigators searched the house and no medication nor psychotropes were found" which opens another rabbit hole.

This administration since '08 began the wheels in motion to further restrict and or confiscate firearms here in the USA. Obama is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate because he promised the International community and the UN that he would dis-arm America. Just nobody was looking into why he recieved it and he made no public mention why he was nominated for it anywhere, he was acting like it was because he was the first man of color to take the highest seat of power in the land being an african american or Kenyan, nope, had to do with rolling us into an International treaty named ATT. aka small arms Treaty.

Our 2A rights afforded to us by our Forefathers under our Constitution was NOT penned for duck hunting, it was penned to protect yourself if one day the Government (for the people, by the people) may one day become tyranacle.

My Police friend told me last night, "Relax buddy! They ban assault weapons (not just rifles) we get our Revolution" so were even.. Come and get 'em.

DO NOT DISARM OR YOU WILL BECOME CHATTEL, and shame on you Conneticuit for disarming your taxpayers and forcing them to rely on using 911 if a violent crime has happened. Protect yourself because your Government can't.

Molan Labe.

Question everything.. To critisize your government is just being a Patriot.

Our 2A rights afforded to us by our Forefathers under our Constitution was NOT penned for duck hunting, it was penned to protect yourself if one day the Government (for the people, by the people) may one day become tyranacle.

I agree with most of your post, but let's get one thing straight: the rights enumerated in the Constitution are ours by birth. That said, I agree - the 2A has nothing to do with hunting (except for redcoats and tyrants).

I guess we will need to get used to see kids routinely massacred in schools any once in a while, or to see people die by gunshot wounds at the highest per-capita rate in the civilized world. This is the price Americans are willing to pay for the right to own their beloved guns.

The questions now are: is abortion a crime if it kills a fetus for self-defense? Should the 10 Commandments be re-written to say "Thou shall not kill .. except for self-defense"? What kind of democracy defends itself against its own government with weapons (and still calls itself a democracy)? Is it too much to expect consistency in people's beliefs?

More people were killed in 2011 by HAMMERS or FISTS than by rifles. Granted, firearms account for about 2/3 of homicides, but the statistics clearly show that sick (or angry or whatever) people will find a way to get the job done, even if that means:

Guarding the house tonight. Cops never bothered to check up this afternoon after the attempted break in this morning. But I guess I'm just being too paranoid. Rather, I should just open the door for anyone trying to force themselves in. That's right, have them come in, look around, and take whatever they want.

Question: if they decide to confiscate weapons, how will they know WHO owns weapons? We need an FBI background check in order to complete the transaction, but who's to say the purchase ultimately took place?

I await with tremendous anticipation when the American people rise up and direct their bitterness and hatred that comes from a society based on greed and 'fuck everyone as long as I can get that 8th TV set' and turn their guns on each other.

"On Election Day last November, several Democrat Senators were campaigning for reelection in pro-gun states. And in order to get their constituents’ votes, they promised fealty to the Second Amendment.

Well, on November 6, Democrat Senators Joe Manchin (WV), Bob Casey (PA) and Jon Tester (MT) all won their respective elections. These seats, among others, were crucial to helping Harry Reid return to the top post in the Senate.

But only a month after the election returns were tallied, the Senate -- under Majority Leader Harry Reid’s control -- is now crusading to implement:

* Gun bans on semiautomatic firearms and magazines;

* An effective ban on gun shows;

* A ban on private gun sales, without going through a gun dealer; and,

* Changes in the Senate rules which would allow them to ban guns with a mere 50 Senate votes.

This last proposal is particularly insidious. Gun grabbers are not going to be able to get 60 votes to break a Senate filibuster of gun control. But, with the help of fake “pro-gun” Senate Democrats, they may be able to get 50.

So the question of whether Senate Democrats will need 50 votes or 60 votes will determine whether gun control -– and much of Obama’s agenda -– will be slammed through and passed into law.

This brings us to the “nuclear option.”

This is a trick which anti-gun Democrats intend to use the first day of the Senate session in order to obliterate the Senate rules and clear the way for 50-vote passage of gun control.

Your senator’s vote on the “nuclear option” may be the most important gun-related vote he casts during the 113th Congress. It may be the difference between whether Obama can secure Senate passage of gun bans, magazine bans, gun show bans, and bans on private gun sales.

Anti-gun Democrats will try to tell you that the Senate is just following its precedents.

But that’s a bald-faced lie. As Democrats made clear during the Bush administration when the Republicans were contemplating the “nuclear option,” the nuclear option has been threatened, but the trigger has never been pulled.

Anti-gun Democrats will try to tell you that the “nuclear option” can only be invoked on the first day.

That’s a lie. Senate Rule 5, Paragraph 2, provides that the Senate rules continue from one Congress to the next, unless changed by 67 votes (needed to break a filibuster of rules changes). If the Senate can use brute force to obliterate Rule 5 by 50 votes, it can use brute force to obliterate any rule at any time by 50 votes.

This is a major vote that will have huge ramifications for our republic. Our gun rights are just one of the many freedoms that are on the chopping block right now. And if Harry Reid can squelch his opposition by nuking the filibuster, it will be the first step towards completely obliterating our Constitution.

ACTION: Contact your Senators and tell them that the vote on the “nuclear option” will be the most important gun control vote of the 113th Congress. Urge them to vote AGAINST changing the Senate rules. Tell them to vote AGAINST the "nuclear option.""